and here's the company fabricating the dishes - perfect. Fingers crossed for two now, just getting the okay for their location...

Some rapid progress was made recently by Desmond researching the dishes. After considering other materials (including fibreglass and concrete) I really wanted one last shot at finding someway of casting these large dishes out of metal. And Desmond came up trumps with a foundry that can manufacture the dishes in aluminium (which wikipedia tells me is the most abundent metal in the earth's crust).

But they (probably) aren't going to look like these early models, and there'll (probably) be only one. Having re-visited the site, I currently thinking that there's only room for one and want it elegantly rising from the ground rather than being housed in any structure. We'll see...

It's been a while but lots has been going on. Firstly, a workshop with 10 great children at Neilds School. We discussed sounds, went on soundwalks, recorded soundwalks and generally had some fun. A big thank you to all the pupils, staff and Heidi (from HCMF)! Here we are having some fun with listening dishes:

Secondly, it was time for me to really get acquainted with the location. I spent a lot of time wandering about, taking photos and making recordings to establish a strong connection with the place. Really good quality time for research and thinking. It is a really beautiful place - especially at 4am!

Also met and was interviewed by Oli Jones who's putting together a series of short videos and other exciting stuff for HCMF - will put a link to it from here as soon as it's ready.

Well, it's time for me to get cooking in the studio with all the material I recorded and to start designing the audio and walk that will accompany the experience of visiting the installation. Feels good to be at this stage.

Things are progressing well. I've been spending time sorting out technical details for the acoustic mirror (one not two - that's decided). Central to this process and to the mirror's construction is Desmond Brett. He's a sculptor (Slade MFA graduate no less) with lots of exactly the right kind of experience.

The mirror draws inspiration from the many gigantic concrete acoustic radar dishes that were built  between the World Wars. The Colne Valley Acoustic Mirror will be distinct in its three-way function and status as conceptual sound art, sculptural form, and sound sculpture.

Take a look and explore the area. The map is centred pretty close to the place earmarked for the installation.